Athletic apparatus with non-linear sliding track

ABSTRACT

An athletic apparatus with non-linear sliding tracks includes a frame, a pair of tracks installed to the frame, a pair of pedal mechanisms slidably installed to the tracks and a pair of rocker arm mechanisms. Each track is formed by at least one curved pipe. Each rocker arm mechanism pivoted to a shaft rod of the frame is linked to the pedal mechanism through at least one linking rod and further connected to a damping mechanism which provides a resistance to the rocker arm mechanism. Each pedal mechanism is linked to a steel rope of a linking mechanism so that the pair of the pedal mechanisms can move back and forth against each other alternately along the curved tracks. A handle is arranged on a top of each rocker arm mechanism, a user can exercise by holding the handles and treading on the pedal mechanism.

FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to athletic apparatus, and particular toan athletic apparatus with a non-linear sliding track and providescomplicated exercise for user's hands and feet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

A plenty of athletic apparatus are developed for the purposes of bodyfitness or rehabilitation. Athletic apparatus such as a stair climbercan provide an exercise for a user's feet by treading up and down onpedals only. Athletic apparatus such as an elliptical trainer canprovide an exercise for both hands and feet. Pedals of the ellipticaltrainer fixed to a linking rod can not be moved alone. Although thestair climber and the elliptical trainer are well developed andimproved, the exercise style of the stair climber is still an upwardsand downwards exercise and the style of the elliptical trainer is stillan elliptical movement and the pedals still can not be slid on thesupporting linking rod.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention provides a non-straight track whichmeans an athletic apparatus with curved tracks. The athletic apparatusprovides exercise for a user's hands and feet, especially a curved slideof good athletic effect for the user's feet.

To achieve above object, the present invention provides an athleticapparatus comprising: a frame placed on a level ground; a pair of leftand right tracks of the same structure fixed to the frame at apredetermined angle to the ground; the tracks being formed curved butnot straight; a pair of left and right pedal mechanisms of the samestructure including pedals for treading by a user's feet and beinginstalled to the left and right tracks respectively; the pedalmechanisms further being moved up and down along the curved tracks; apair of left and right rocker arm mechanisms of the same structure beingmovably installed to the frame and the left and right pedal mechanismsso as to be moved identically with the pedal mechanisms; wherein by thecurved tracks, the users experiences the most natural feet exercise andan ergonomic design capable of protecting user's heels from being hurt.

The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be morereadily understood from the following detailed description when read inconjunction with the appended drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a pictorial drawing of an embodiment of an athletic apparatusof the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a pictorial drawing of the embodiment of the present inventionviewing from a side.

FIG. 3 is a pictorial drawing of the embodiment of the present inventionviewing from another side to the FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top view showing pedal mechanisms at a back and frontpositions of tracks.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing the pedal mechanisms at the back andfront positions of the tracks.

FIG. 6 shows drawing of the FIG. 5 from a side.

FIG. 7 shows the curved tracks oppositely installed to a center line.

FIG. 8 is a pictorial drawing of the athletic apparatus viewing from aback side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order that those skilled in the art can further understand thepresent invention, a description will be provided in the following indetails. However, these descriptions and the appended drawings are onlyused to cause those skilled in the art to understand the objects,features, and characteristics of the present invention, but not to beused to confine the scope and spirit of the present invention defined inthe appended claims.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 8, an athletic apparatus 1according to the present invention is illustrated. The athleticapparatus 1 includes a frame 10, a pair of separated tracks 3 and 4, apair of pedal mechanisms, a pair of separated rocker arm mechanisms, twotransmitting mechanisms, and a damping mechanism.

The frame 10 has a base 18 which includes a front bottom rod 11 and arear bottom rod 13 separated from each other. The front bottom rod 11 isformed as a standing rod 12, a control panel 121 is installed to a topof the standing rod 12. The users can operate the athletic apparatus 1through the control panel 121. An axle rod 14 is formed near an upperend of the standing rod 12, handles 15 for holding by the users areformed respectively between two ends of the axle rod 14 and a middlebottom rod 19 of the base 18. Installation portions 131 and 132 areformed separately to the rear bottom rod 13.

The tracks 3 and 4 of the same structure are arranged to a left andright side of the athletic apparatus 1 respectively. Bottom ends oftrack 3 and 4 are fixed to the installation portions 131 and 132respectively, while upper ends of the tracks 3 and 4 are fixed to aninclined supporting rod 16 of the frame 10 so that the left and righttracks are at an predetermined angle to the ground. A maincharacteristic of the tracks is that the tracks are made as curved butnot straight. The design of the tracks will have the users experiencedthe most natural exercise for feet, it is also an ergonomic designcapable of protecting user's heels from being hurt.

The left and right pedal mechanisms of the same structure have pedalbases 5 and 6, supporters 51 and 61 linked to the pedal bases 5 and 6,and pedals 52 and 62 for treading by the users respectively. The pedalbases 5 and 6 are slidably installed to the inclined tracks 3 and 4respectively and capable of being slid up and down along the tracks.

The left and right rocker arm mechanisms of the same structure haverocker arms 7 and 8 respectively. Upper ends 71 and 81 of the rockerarms 7 and 8 respectively are pivoted to the axle rod 14, and handles 70and 80 are arranged to the rocker arms 7 and 8 respectively for holdingby the users. Lower ends 72 and 82 of the rocker arms 7 and 8 arepivoted to linking rods 73 and 83 through universal connectors 74 and 84(which are capable of rotating in Y and Z axes) respectively. Anotherends of the linking rods 73 and 83 are also pivoted to the pedal bases 5and 6 through universal connectors 75 and 85. Therefore, the left andright rocker arm mechanisms and the left and right pedal mechanisms canbe moved identically.

A first transmitting mechanism is rotatably installed to the inclinedsupporting rod 16 near to a pulley 91 below the upper ends of the tracks3 and 4 and a steel rope 92 wound the pulley 91. Two ends of the steelrope 92 are connected to the left and right pedal bases 5 and 6respectively so that the pedal bases 5 and 6 can be slid back and forth,up and down against each other alternately.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a second transmitting mechanism isillustrated. The second transmitting mechanism has two timing belts 21,22 and an elastic belt 23 linking the two timing belts 21, 22. Outerends of the timing belts 21, 22 are connected to the lower ends 72, 82of the rocker arms 7 and 8 respectively so that the left and rightrocker arm mechanisms can be swung back and forth alternately with anaxle center of the axle rod 14. A shaft rod 24 is installed to the frame10. A belt wheel 25 is installed to a middle position of the shaft rod24, and two gear wheels 26, 27 are installed to two ends of the shaftrod 24. The gear wheels 26, 27 have single direction bearing. The timingbelts 21, 22 clench the teeth of the gear wheels 26 and 27 respectively.Two wheels 28, 29 are pivoted to two ends of the front bottom rod 11.The elastic belt 23 linking the timing belts 21, 22 also winds thewheels 28 and 29. By the second transmitting mechanism, the left andright rocker arms 7 and 8 can be moved back and forth against each otheralternately.

The damping mechanism includes a load wheel 101 and an electro-magneticbrake 102. By the link of a transmitting belt 103, the load wheel 101 islinked to the belt wheel 25. When the handles 70 and 80 are swung backand forth alternately, the damping mechanism can provide a resistance.The resistance can be pre-selected on the control panel 121.

With reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, the main characteristic of the left andright tracks 3 and 4 is made of at least one curved track. The tracks 3and 4 of the embodiment of the present invention are made of twoparallel curved pipes 31, 32 and 41, 42 and combined by linking bodies33, 43 respectively. The upper ends of the curved pipes are all fixed toa common linking unit 161 which is fixed to an upper end of the inclinedsupporting rod 16. The linking bodies 33 and 43 and the lower ends ofthe tracks are fixed to the installation portions 131 and 132 so thatthe tracks are installed to the frame 10 at an angle B to the ground asshown in FIG. 6.

Referring to FIG. 7, a center line 17 illustrated between the oppositelyinstalled tracks 3 and 4 indicates a longitudinal direction of the base18 of the present invention. A first track, which is the left track 3 isan arc of a length L1 based on a virtual radius r1 and a center ofcircuit O1. The second track 4 is an arc of a length L2 based on avirtual radius r2 and a center of circuit O2. The radii and lengths ofthe arcs of the two tracks 3 and 4 are equal. The two curved tracksinstalled between the rear bottom rod 13 and the inclined supporting rod16 are gradually away from each other from the upper ends to the lowerends thereof. That is, the upper ends 30 and 40 of the tracks 3 and 4are near to the center line 17 and the lower ends 39 and 49 of thetracks 3 and 4 are away from the center line 17 so that the concaves ofthe arcs of the tracks face outwards respectively.

When operating the athletic apparatus 1 according to the presentinvention, a user (not illustrated) stands on the pedals 52 and 62 withboth feet respectively and holds the handles 70 and 80 with both handsrespectively. While the user overcomes the resistance of the load wheel101, the rocker arm mechanisms are pulled back and forth and the pedalsmechanisms are moved back and forth, up and down against each otheralternately in the same time.

The athletic apparatus 1 according to the present invention can providea composite body exercise for hands and feet of the users. Also, by thedesign of the curved tracks 3 and 4, the pedals bases 5 and 6 will bemoved along the curved tracks so that feet of the user can exercisesmoothly by moving outwards and downwards together and moving forth andupwards together.

The pedals 52 and 62 are parallel to the ground on the tracks 3 and 4 ata static status. For the balance of the users operating the athleticapparatus 1, as shown in FIG. 5, the pedals 52 and 62 can tilt towardseach other with a small angle A so that the upwards and downwardsmovement along the arcs are smooth and safe.

The athletic apparatus 1 according to the present invention has a simplestructure and provides a physical training on muscles of user's arms andfeet. Especially to the design of the tracks 3 and 4, the users canexercise inwards and outwards curved slides. Moreover, the rocker armmechanisms can drive the load wheel 101 through the belt wheel 25 by thelink of two timing belts on the same axis to the belt wheel 25. On theother hand, the rocker arm mechanisms can drive the corresponding pedalmechanisms on the left and right tracks 3, 4 synchronously by the linkof linking rods 73 and 83 so that the athletic apparatus 1 can archivean anticipated purpose and effect.

The present invention is thus described, it will be obvious that thesame may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regardedas a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, andall such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art areintended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

1. An athletic apparatus comprising: a frame (10) placed on a levelground; a pair of left and right tracks (3; 4) having the same structureand fixed to the frame (10) at a predetermined angle to the ground; thetracks (3, 4) being formed curved but not straight; a pair of left andright pedal mechanisms having the same structure and including pedals(52; 62) for being treaded by a user's feet and being installed to theleft and right tracks (3; 4) respectively; each pedal mechanisms furtherbeing moved up and down along the curved tracks (3, 4); a pair of leftand right rocker arm mechanisms having the same structure and beingmovably installed to the frame (10) and the left and right pedalmechanisms so as to be moved with respect to the pedal mechanisms; afirst transmitting mechanism installed to an inclined supporting rod(16) of said frame (10), and connecting to said left and right pedalbases (5, 6) for sliding back and forth, up and down along said left andright tracks (3; 4); wherein by the curved tracks (3, 4), the usersexperience the most natural feet exercise and an ergonomic designcapable of protecting user's heels from being hurt is provided; andwherein the pedal bases (5) and (6) are moved along the curved tracks(3; 4) so that the feet of the user can exercise smoothly by movingoutwards and downwards together and moving forth and upwards together.2. The athletic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame has abase (18) which includes a front bottom rod (11) and a rear bottom rod(13) separated from each other; a standing rod (12) is extended upwardsfrom the front bottom rod (11), a control panel (121) is installed to atop of the standing rod (12); the users can operate the athleticapparatus through the control panel; an axle rod (14) is approximatelyvertical to an upper end of the standing rod (12), each of two handles(15) holdable by the user's hands is formed between a respective one oftwo ends of the axle rod (14) and a respective one of two ends of amiddle bottom rod of the base; and two installation portions (131, 132)are formed at two distal ends of the rear bottom rod, respectively. 3.The athletic apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the left and rightrocker arm mechanisms have rocker arms (7, 8) with upper ends thereofpivoted to the axle rod (14), and handles (15) arranged to the rockerarms respectively for being held by the user; lower ends of the rockerarms are pivoted to linking rods through universal connectorsrespectively; another ends of the linking rods are pivoted to the leftand right pedal mechanisms through universal connectors.
 4. The athleticapparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the left and right pedalmechanisms have pedal bases (5, 6), supporters (51, 61) installed on thepedal bases (5, 6), and pedals (52, 62) for being treaded by the user'sfeet respectively; the pedal bases are slidably installed to the curvedtracks respectively and capable of being slid up and down along thetracks.
 5. The athletic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein bottomends of the tracks (5, 6) are fixed to the installation portions (131,132) of the rear bottom rods respectively, while upper ends of thetracks (5, 6) are fixed to an inclined supporting rod (16) of the frame(10) so that the left and right tracks are at an predetermined angle tothe ground.
 6. The athletic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein afirst transmitting mechanism is rotatably installed to the inclinedsupporting rod (16) near to a pulley (91) below the upper ends of thetracks (5, 6); and a steel rope (92) winds around the pulley (91); twoends of the steel rope (92) are connected to the left and right pedals(5, 6) respectively so that the pedals are swingable.
 7. The athleticapparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein a second transmitting mechanismhas two timing belts (21, 22) and an elastic belt (23) linking the twotiming belts (21, 22); outer ends of the timing belts are connected tothe lower ends of the rocker arms (7, 8) respectively so that the leftand right rocker arm mechanisms is swingable with an axle center of theaxle rod (14); a shaft rod (24) is installed to the frame; a belt wheelis installed to a middle position of the shaft rod, and two gear wheelsare installed to two ends of the shaft rod; the gear wheels have anunidirectional bearing; the timing belts clench the teeth of the gearwheels respectively; two wheels are pivoted to two ends of the frontbottom rod, and the elastic belt linking the timing belts winds thewheels; by the linking of the second transmitting mechanism, the leftand right rocker arm mechanisms is movable against each otheralternately.
 8. The athletic apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein adamping mechanism is installed to the frame; the damping mechanismincludes a load wheel and an electro-magnetic brake; by the link of atransmitting belt, the load wheel is linked to the belt wheel.
 9. Theathletic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the left andright tracks is made by combining two curved pipes of the same radian.10. The athletic apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein a center lineof a longitudinal direction of the base is defined as a center line; andthe left and right tracks are oppositely installed beside the centerline; a first track, that is the left track, is an arc of a length L1with a virtual radius r1 and a center of circuit O1; a second track,that is the right track, is an arc of a length L2 with on a virtualradius r2 and a center of circuit O2; the radii and lengths of the arcsof the two tracks are equal; the two curved tracks installed between therear bottom rod and the inclined supporting rod are gradually away fromeach other from the upper ends to the lower ends thereof; that is, theupper ends of the tracks are near to the center line and the lower endsof the tracks are away from the center line so that the concaves of arcsof the tracks face outwards respectively.
 11. The athletic apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, wherein at a static status, the pedals on the tracksare parallel to the ground; the pedals are capable of tilting towardsone another with a predetermined angle so that the upward and downwardmovements of the pedals along the arcs are smooth and safe.